UOIT, MRU programs receive accreditationCCTTThe University of Ontario Institute of Technology's program in Forensic Science has received full accreditation from the American Academy of Forensic Science's Forensic Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC). Achieving FEPAC accreditation requires that programs meet strict standards for course material and assessment methods, and that graduates demonstrate a high level of practical ability. FEPAC-accredited programs are also required to have ongoing affiliations with forensic science labs and law enforcement organizations. UOIT's program is reportedly one of just two programs in Canada to achieve FEPAC's highest level of distinction. Meanwhile, Mount Royal University's aviation program has been granted a five-year accreditation by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI). The distinction reportedly makes MRU just the second aviation program outside of the U.S. to achieve AABI certification. "We've received the gold seal of accreditation when it comes to aviation education... This is further recognition that our program meets stringent standards of quality, and it's also a strong indication that we're providing a relevant education experience to our students," said Leon Cygman, acting Chair of Management, Human Resources, and Aviation at MRU.

AUCC shares international perspectives on innovationCCTTThe Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada has published a new report that identifies what it says are elements of a successful national innovation system. The report, entitled Toward Stronger Innovation Systems: Lessons from AUCC's Innovation Policy Dialogue, draws on meetings between education leaders from Canada, Germany, and Israel. It highlights a number of elements common to successful innovation systems, including support for basic research; the involvement of students as researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs; support for creativity and risk-taking in research; multidisciplinary collaboration; and strong ties between universities and industry. The report suggests ways in which Canada can adapt lessons from abroad, such as by encouraging risk-taking through the funding of applied research and commercialization activities with the understanding that some projects will inevitably fail, and by offering students the opportunity to interact with industry and industry-experienced faculty members.

Square acquires Kili Technology to bolster Canadian footholdTech VibesSquare has acquired Toronto-based Kili Technology.
The Silicon Valley payments company picked up the Canadian payments company for an undisclosed sum. Square now has an office in Toronto, its second in Canada. The first is in Waterloo, which opened last year.
"Together with Kili we will continue to lead the way in delivering simple and affordable hardware that gives our sellers a smarter and safer way to do business," Square said in a statement.

How Apple's embrace of the new USB points to world without wiresCNet Ready or not, Apple's new MacBook is cutting the computing industry's cables.
The slim laptop has just a single USB port, the new tiny Type-C variety that's slowly popping up in devices this year. It's a multi-purpose port that connects to external devices like hard drives, runs video to televisions and external monitors, and supplies the laptop with power when it's charging time.

Obama getting help from local employers to boost high-tech trainingGlobal NewsFacing stubbornly stagnant wages, President Barack Obama has obtained commitments from more than 300 employers as well as local governments in 20 regions of the country to train and hire high technology workers in an effort to drive up higher-income employment.
People familiar with the program inside and outside the White House said Obama is to announce the program, called TechHire, during an upcoming speech to the National League of Cities.

Optical fibres light the way for brain-like computingPhys.orgComputers that function like the human brain could soon become a reality thanks to new research using optical fibres made of specialty glass. The research, published in Advanced Optical Materials, has the potential to allow faster and smarter optical computers capable of learning and evolving.

5 cool things revealed at Mobile World CongressMIT Technology ReviewSmart watches got stylish, tablets got new software, and virtual reality goggles wrapped their tentacles around everyone's faces. Some companies are deconstructing their mobiles into modules. And discussions of the next generation of mobile networks, 5G, centered on how useful it will be for the Internet of Things, not mobile voice or data.
Here is a look at five important tech developments from the conference.

The future of hotel in-room technologySkiftWith the pace of consumer technology moving at break-neck speed, the hotel is a place where high-tech meets a high-contact industry. No doubt, technology is at the forefront of allowing guests the freedom to do what they choose during a hotel stay, according to hotel executives. This report examines the work that goes into meeting that ever-changing guest demand for complete control within the guest room.

Spacesuit aerogel technology makes these jackets toasty warmCNetInsulating oneself from the cold weather can end up a somewhat bulky affair, as extra padding serves as an effective means of keeping heat from escaping your body. Though attempts have been made in the past to slim the profile of winter outerwear, the future, it seems, lies in a technology invented by NASA: aerogel insulation.

Research makes stronger glass with thermal reversibilityTech TimesU.S. and European researchers say they've come up with a method to improve the strength of glass, which could lead to more durable display screens, windows and fiber optic cables.
Engineers at UCLA, working with colleagues at the Université Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, used computer simulations to analyze the molecular dynamics of materials commonly used to make glass.

Perovskite solar cells get growth boostAsian Scientist MagazineResearchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University's Energy Materials and Surface Sciences Unit have found that growing a type of film used to manufacture solar cells in ambient air gives it a growth boost. The finding, which could make manufacturing solar cells significantly cheaper, was published in Chemistry of Materials.